Do you bring along a portable generator with you on your RV travels? We know that many people do. Some, motorhome owners in particular, have generators, but they are built into their rigs. So we’re not talking about these folks.
With so many RVs these days dependent on 110 current to power appliances and other devices, a generator can come in very handy.
So what about you? Portable generator or not?
Why RVtravel.com exists and where you fit in: “RVs don’t break down. RV roofs do not leak.”
Yes, but I seldom use it. I also have solar which works about 99% of the time.
I always travel with my little, lightweight and quiet Honda EU-1000. And every once in a while, I really need it!
We voted in the poll. Since we boondock 8 months LTVA near Yuma, we use our two companion 2200W Honda genny’s (always carried in the back of our truck locked up under the cover) with no noise, smell, mess or fuss when we want to run our microwave. Otherwise we have solar panels and propane that operates everything else.
Yes a portable as I don’t have a built in. Not sure the last response belonging in the question as it specifically as if you carry a portable generator.
Reservations being what they are now days, we have a 4500 watt electric start I carry on trips we are unsure we’ll find a pole available on our route between the reservations we are able to make.
Built-in Genny, but mostly use portable Solar panels for our use
Our Airstream trailer has 5 big solar panels on it but often we are in shady campsites or its raining, etc., and solar is useless. So I invented the http://www.CarGenerator.com, which is a pure sine wave inverter in a patented fully weatherproof easy to use package. For the few times we need a generator, we just start our tow vehicle, attach our CarGenerator, and plug in the shore power cord and the factory power system charges our trailer just as if it was plugged into a campground. We tow with an SUV so we don’t have space to store a big smelly gas generator and a bunch of gas cans. We also use this for the occasional time we need backup power in our house to run our home gas furnace, fridge, computers, etc…
no poll, but yes, we carry a 3500w inverter generator. have used it a few times, Feb 21′ in Texas deep freeze, to run ac unit on extremely hot travel days and for a day when power pedestal at campsite died and electrician was unavailable until next day.
No poll to click on.
I pack a 2000 watt gas generator that I only use for emergencies. I also pack a 120-volt battery charger to use only for emergencies to charge the RV batteries. I rarely use them.
Yes we always carry our portable generator with us. There was no poll to click on.
No generator. We’ve never missed one with the combination of solar and propane.
We do have a generator, but hardly ever use it. We have 700 watts of solar power on the roof and a 3000
watt inverter. So much easier than using our generator.
Jackery 500 and a portable solar panel. No noise!
Both a solar and a propane/gas generator.
I don’t see the poll, but I carry a solar generator.
YES! It saved our butts in last winter’s ‘Big Freeze’ in south Texas. Unexpected weather is to be expected.
No poll here
no…solar is the way to go….could not open poll
Yes, If we are unsure if site will have 120V power or if we will have to boondock someplace, I keep my little Predator 3500 inverter at the ready. I normally carry it in the bed of my truck rather than the trailer. Since I have available payload in the truck, this saves me from having to adjust the WD Hitch and anchoring the gennie down in the trailer.
Yes I carry a 4500W generator on a cargo carrier on the reinforced bumper of our TT, securely bolted down and locked in place. I tied into the trailer battery for the starter, bought a shorter power cord to keep it plugged in while on the road, it has a remote control where I can control it from my recliner, it works great.
Yea we do. Have never had to use it as we have solar. We have it for emergencies only.
Yes, and only as a back-up to our on board diesel unit. We go to dog trials and have lent out our spares to other campers. Doing so to a stranger has led to a close long term friendship. What goes around comes around. They have helped us in an emergency; which is normal for most of us long term RV’ers.
Jackery, no noise, no fumes.
Predator 3500 inverter/generator…
We have a silent power source: a Bluetti EB240 “solar generator” of 2400 kwh capacity that can power the truck camper for a weekend outing, pre-charged on the “home grid.” For longer boondock outings, we deploy up to 400 watts of solar panels to recharge it. We also have a portable 2000w inverter gas generator, but no longer carry it. It serves for home emergency use during power outages.
We have a 3.5kw “portable” genset. I use it for hurricane duties, both at home or emergency communication deployments. Check out ARES/ARRL if interested. I’ve been to 15 hurricane related deployments, plus other public needs.
A recent trend I’m noticing is campers who can afford a huge F250+ truck and a $50K fifth-wheel but seem only able to afford an open-frame, noisy, construction-site generator.
C’mon, people! Have some consideration for your neighbors!
so True!
It’s probably not that the open frame is what they can afford. Open frame generators are about half the price of good 2kw inverter generators. They are also more available on the secondary market.
We don’t bring a generator with us but I have portable solar panels that can keep our compact fridge going when we camp places with no power available.
Although we can boondocks off-grid but we bring a small portable, just in case. We were staying at a KOA last summer and the power went out in the park for a day and a half. The heat, while not unbearable, made things unpleasant without a/c during daylight hours.